Master controller



Jan. 20, 1953 c, BASTQN ET AL 2,626,326

MASTER CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 2, 1950 INVENTORS Cyril E.Boston 8 Henry M.Fufro l.

BYQMMAGMM ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICEMASTER CONTROLLER Application October 2, 1950, Serial No. 188,002

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to the master controller.

with which the engineman controls the motions with respect to thehandle, and trouble has been 55 experienced because of incorrectdrum-positionof an electric locomotive or other electricallyewing as aresult of wear in the notch-plate, and

propelled vehicle. In general, these master controllers consist of aseries of drums or cam-shafts, arranged to be rotated by handles whichproject from the top or the top-side of the controller. These drums orcam-shafts have a plurality of difierent contact-controlling means,disposed in a plurality of positions extending around the periphery ofthe drum, for making the necessary contacts in the required sequences.

Heretofore, the main controller-drum, which is used foracceleration-control, and which carries the largest number ofcontact-controlling means, has been either operated directly by acontroller-handle, or gear-connected to a controller-handle which ismounted on a short shaft parallel to the main drum. Heretofore, themain-drum handle or accelerator-handle has carried a latch-member, whichwas controlled from the grip of the handle, and which engaged notcheswhich were provided in the periphery of a stationary notch-plate whichwas mounted in the top of the controller, these notches corresponding tothe contact-controlling positions of the accelerating drum.

Our invention relates to a type of controllerdrum in which the number ofperipherally disposed contact-carrying means is so great that anunusually large percentage of the entire drum-periphery has to be takenup by the contact-controlling means, in order to space thecontact-points a reasonable distance apart. This has necessitated theuse of an unusually large speed-multiplication between theaccelerator-handle and the accelerator-drum, so that theaccelerator-drum could be rotated through an arc of anywhere from about180 to close on to 360, whereas the controller-handle should have anangular movement of not more than 60 or 70,- in order to provide aneasily handled controller, although an angular movement of as much as 80could be tolerated at the expense of some awkwardness from theengineman.

Heretofore, trouble has been experienced with this type orcontroller-drum, because of the small size of the notches (necessitatedby their large number), in the previously used stationary notch-plate,resulting in a construction which is weak mechanically. Furthermore, thehigh speed-multiplication between the controllerhandle and thecontroller-drum has necessitated extremely accurate initial machining ofthe parts to ensure the correct positioning of the drum and disengagingthe peripheral notches in the stationary notch-plate, as the handle wasnotched around the periphery of said notchplate.

It is an object of our present invention to avoid these difficulties bya new controller-construction in which our notch-plate is associatedwith the large-motion drum, rather than the short-motion handle. In ourpreferred construction, the notchplate, instead of being stationary andhaving only a somewhat limited arcuate extent (corresponding to thearcuate movement of the controllerhandle), is made as a notch-platewhich is attached directly to the drum or drum-shaft, and which has alarge arcuate extent equal to that of the drum. The latch is removedfrom the movable handle and is pivoted to a fixed point on thecontroller-housing, and a suitable mechanism is provided whereby thisfixed latch can be released from the release-lever on thecontroller-handle. In this way, the notches can be considerably largerand more rugged, the drum-position is not at all affected by gear-wearor backlash, being afiected only by the play between the latch and thenotches, without being multiplied by the gear-ratio. Furthermore, it isno longer necessary to tolerate an awkwardly long travel of thecontroller-handle, in order to mitigate speed-multiplicationdrum-position difiiculties, and the handle-movement can be reduced to,or kept at, the desired or so as to provide a more easily handledcontroller.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists inthe combinations, structures, parts, and methods of design andoperation, hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a master controller embodying ourinvention, partly in vertical elevation, and partly in section;

Fig 2 is a simplifiedperspective view of the controller, with the coverremoved; and

Fig. 3 is a simplified horizontal sectional view of the controller, onthe section-plane indicated by the line III-III in Fig. 1, with thecontroller- 7 casing broken down to the line B-B in Fig. 1.

(the top-part4 being removed).

As seen in the perspective view of the Fig. 2, the controller has a topportion 4, of reduced size, which is provided with a braking-handle 5and an accelerating-handle 6 which are movable within slots 5' and 6' inthe side of said top-portion d. The accelerator-handle 6 is geared to avertical main-drum shaft I, by means which will be subsequentlydescribed. Near the top of the main-drum shaft 1, there is a doublenotch-plate 8 which is fixed to the drum-shaft a. As shown in all threefigures, the illustrated notch-plate has two notched portions, the topportion having three deep peripheral notches, corresponding to the threemain running-positions of the main drum, While the bottom portion hasnotches half as deep, as many as there are contact-controlling positionson the main drum, as will be subsequently described.

Seen next below the notch-plate 8 in Fig. 2, are three interlocking-camsI ii, for providing suitable mechanical interlocks between the severaldrums of the master controller. Below the interlocking-cams it is theforward-and-reverse handle ii of the forward-ancl-reverse drum i2, whichconsists of three cams, mounted on a hub it which is journaled on themain drum-shaft l. The three cams of this forward-and-reverse drum iiiare engaged by three contact-fingers l5. Below the forward-and-reversedrum !2, Fig. 2 shows another interlocking cam 17, which is carried by ahub is which is secured to the main drum-shaft 1.

Below said interlocking cam N, Fig. 2 shows the twentiy-sixaccelerating-cams 29, which are fixed to the main drum-shaft I, andwhich are engaged by twenty-six contact-fingers 22 of the main drum;

The bottom portion of the main drum-shaft t is occupied by the elevencams of the brakingdrum 23, which are carried by a hollow shaft 25 whichis journaled on the main drum-shaft 1, and turned by suitable gearing(not shown) from the brake-handle 5. The eleven cams of the braking-drum23 are engaged by contact-fingers 27, as shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 1 and 3 show some details of a selected few of the parts whichhave most to do with our present invention, starting with theacceleratorhandle 6. The accelerator-handle 6 is clamped onto a shorthollow vertical handle-shaft 30, the bearings for which have beenomitted for simplicity in illustration. This handle-shaft issubstantially parallel to, and out of alignment with, the drum-shaft asis readily seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The accelerator-handle 6, as shown,has an arcuate movement of about 64, while the main-drum shaft 1 has amuch larger arcuate movement, being something like 215 in theillustrated controller, although it can be anywhere from something ofthe order of 170 or 180, and close on to nearly 360. If the main drumhas an arcuate movement of much less than 170 or 180", our presentinvention is usually not needed. The movement of the accelerator-handlei5 is communicated to the drumshaft 7 by a speed-multiplyingdrive-connection, which is shown in the form of'a gear-segment 33, whichis secured to the handle 5, meshing with a pinion 34 which is secured tothe top of the main-drum shaft 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the notch-plate 8 is engaged by alatch-member 36 which is mounted on a fixed pivot 31, or otherwise sosupported that it is prevented from peripheral movement around saidnotch-plate 8, but is free to move its end into and out of engagementwith one of the notches of said notch-plate 8. The particularlatch-member 36, which is shown more in detail in Fig. 3, is an L-shapedlatch-lever, one end of which is pivoted at 3?, while the other end canbe moved into and out of engagement with the notch-plate 8. The apex orbend 43 in this latch-lever 38 is engaged by suitableoperating-mechanism, a preferred or exemplary form of which isillustrated, whereby the latchlever 36 may be controlled from theacceleratorhandle 6, as will now be described.

The accelerator-handle 6, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3, isprovided with a pivoted gripportion 42, which is adapted to be graspedby the hand of the engineman, and thus compressed toward the grip-end ofthe handle 6, against the bias of a suitable spring (not shown).Ordinarily, the inward movement of the pivoted grip portion 42 isrestricted to about half of its full movement, by a stop 63 which ispressed outwardly by a spring M. The inward movement of the stop 43 isordinarily prevented by a button 45, which is disposed in the end of thehandle 6, and which is adapted to be depressed by the thumb of theengineman, so as to release the stop 53, thus permitting the pivotedgrip-motion 42 to be squeezed inwardly its full amount toward the end ofthe handle S. This pivoted grip-portion 42, under the auxiliary controlof the button 35, is used as a latch-operating member, for operating thenotch-engaging latch-member 36 which is associated with the notch-plate8.

When the grip 42 is squeezed inwardly halfway, without depressing thethumb-button 45, a suitable motion-communicating means, such as willsoon be described, will pull back the latch 36 far enough to clear thesmaller notches on the lower plate of the double latch-plate 8, thuspermitting the drum 20 to be notched forward until its firstrunning-position has been reached. To pass this first running-positionof the main drum 26, it is necessary. in'the illustrated controller, forthe engineman to depress the thumb-button 45, and to simultaneouslysqueeze in the grip 42 all the way, which pulls back the latch 36 farenough to clear one of the three deep notches on the top plate of thedouble notch-plate 8.

In the broader aspects of our present invention, any suitablemotion-communicating Or motionproducing means may be used, whereby acomplete inward-squeezing of the pivoted grip-portion 42 or otherlatch-operating member, on the handle 6, may be used to efiect awithdrawal of the latch-member 36 from engagement with one of thenotches of the notch plate 8; or the positions of the notch-plate 8 andlatch 36 could be reversed, the latch being carried by the drum 20, ordrum-shaft 'l, and the notch-plate being in the form of a stationarynotched ring. We have shown, however, a preferred mechanical means, formechanically transmitting the movement of the pivoted grip-portion 32 tothe apex or bend ii! in the pivoted latch-lever 36.

Thus, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 1, the controller-handle 6 carries asubstantially radially disposed handle-rod 48, which is secured to thepivoted grip-portion 42 so as to be moved substantially radially withrespect to the handleshaft 30, in response to a movement of said pivotedgrip-portion 42. At the point where the handle 6 issecured to the hollowhandle-shaft 30, there is a pivot-supporting part 49 (Fig. 1), in fixedrelation to said handle and said handleshaft. This pivot-supporting partacts as a pivotal mounting-point for a litter bell crank 50,- having onearm 1 in operative relation to said handle-rod 48, and having "a secondarm extending'through a slot 53 which is provided in the hollowhandle-shaft '90, so that thisusecond arm of the lifter bellc'rank 50extends inside of the hollow handle-shaft 30 into operative relation toa vertically movable shaft-pin 56, which is slidably movable within thehandle-shaft 39. The bottom end of the vertically movable shaft-pin 56extends below the bottom of the hollow handleshaft 30, and terminates ina rounded end 51 which rests in a concave socket at the end of a pusherbell crank 59. This pusher bell crank 59 is stationarily 'pivotedatStand has a short stub-end or arm 6| which extends downwardly into abeveled hole in the apex or bend 49 of the latch-lever 36, to operatethe same.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided ashort-movement operating-handle 6, and a long-movement controllerdrum orcamshaft member. (We use these terms interchangeably in thisdescription.) Notchplate difficulties are avoided by fixing thenotchplate 8 on the main shaft 1 of the controller-drum 20. Suitablemeans are provided for manipulating a stationarily supportedlatch-member 36 into and out of engagement with the notches of thenotch-plate 8, by means of a suitable latchoperating member 36 or 45 onthe controllerhandle 6.

In the particular form of latch-manipulating mechanism which we haveshown in the drawing, the movement of the latch-operating member 42 onthe handle is thus communicated to a radially moving handle-rod 48,which, in turn, lifts an axially movable shaft-pin 56, by any suitablemeans, such as a lifter bell crank 50. Although this shaft-pin 56rotates with the hollow handle-shaft 30 (because it is engaged by thelifter bell crank 50 which rotates with the handle), said shaft-pin hasa rounded end 51, so that the rotation of this shaft-pin 56 makes nodifference to the pusher bell crank 59 which is depressed or releasedaccording to the movement which is to be imparted to the latchmember 36.

While We have illustrated our invention in a single preferred form ofembodiment, in an illustration which has been much simplified in orderto clarify the showing of parts which are hard to illustrate, we wish itto be understood that our invention is not limited to the details shown,as various changes of omission and addition, as well as substitution ofequivalents, may be made, without departing from the essential spirit ofour invention. We desire, therefore, that the appended claims shall beaccorded the broadest construction consistent with their language.

We claim as our invention:

1. A controller-drum having a plurality of different contact-controllingmeans, disposed in a plurality of positions extending around at leastabout half of the periphery of the drum; a drumshaft fixed to said drum;a notch-plate and a cooperating latch-member associated with saiddrum-shaft, one being carried by the drum-shaft and the other beingstationarily supported without freedom of rotation about the drum-shaft,said notch-plate having the same arcuate extent as the drum, and havinga plurality of notches corresponding to a plurality of differentcontactcontrolling positions of said drum; an arcuately movablecontroller-handle having a smaller range of movement than saidcontroller-drum; a

speed-multiplying drive-connection between said controller-handle andsaid drum shaft; a latch.- operating member carried by the grip of saidcontroller-handle; and means for effecting a movement of saidlatch-member in response to a movement of said latch-operating member.

2. A controller-drum having a plurality of different contact-controllingmeans, disposed in a plurality of positions extending around at leastabout half of the periphery of the drum; a drumshait fixed to said drum;a notch-plate fixed to said drumshaft, said notch-plate having aplurality of peripheral notches corresponding to a plurality ofdifferent contact-controllingpositions of said drum; a latch-member andmeans for so supporting the same that it is prevented from peripheralmovement around said notchplate, but free to move its end into and outof engagement with one of the notches of said notch-plate, an arcuatelymovable controllerhandle having a smaller range of movement than saidcontroller-drum; a speed-multiplying driveconnection between saidcontroller-handle and said drum-shaft; a latch-operating member carriedby the grip of said controller-handle; and means for effecting amovement of said latchmember in response to a movement of saidlatchoperating member.

3. A controller-drum having a plurality of different contact-controllingmeans disposed in a plurality of positions extending around at leastabout half of the periphery of the drum; a drumshaft fixed to said drum;a notch-plate fixed to said drum-shaft, said notch-plate having aplurality of peripheral notches corresponding to a plurality ofdifferent contact-controlling positions of said drum; a latch-member andmeans for so supporting the same that it is prevented from peripheralmovement around said notchplate, but free to move its end into and outof engagement with one of the notches of said notch-plate; an arcuatelymovable controllerhandle having a smaller range of movement than saidcontroller-drum; a handle-shaft fixed to said controller handle, saidhandle-shaft being substantially parallel to, and out of alignment with,said drum-shaft; a speed-multiplying driveconnection between saidcontroller-handle and said drum-shaft; a latch-operating member carriedby the grip of said controller-handle; a substantially radially disposedhandle-rod associated with said controller-handle; means for moving saidhandle-rod substantially radially in response to a movement of saidlatch-operating member; a substantially axially disposed shaft-pinassociated with said handle-shaft; means for moving said shaft-pinsubstantially axially in response to a movement of said handle-rod; andmeans for moving said latch-member in response to a movement of saidshaft-pin.

4. A controller-drum having a plurality of different contact-controllingmeans, disposed in a plurality of positions extending around at leastabout half of the periphery of the drum; a drumshaft fixed to said drum;a notch-plate fixed to said drum-shaft, said notch-plate having aplurality of peripheral notches corresponding to a plurality ofdifferent contact-controlling positions of said drum; a latch-member andmeans for so supporting the same that it is prevented from peripheralmovement around said notchplate, but free to move its end into and outof engagement with one of the notches of said notch-plate; an arcuatelymovable controllerhandle having a smaller range of movement than 7 saidcontroller-drum; a slotted hollow handleshaft fixed to saidcontroller-handle, said handleshaft being substantially parallel to, andout of alignment with, said drum-shaft; a speed-multiplyingdrive-connection between said controllerhandle and said drum-shaft; alatch-operating member carried by the grip of said controllerhandle; asubstantially radially disposed handlerod associated with saidcontroller-handle; means for moving said handle-rod substantiallyradially in response to a movement of said latch-operating member; aslidable shaft-pin disposed partly within said hollow handle-shaft, andhaving an extending end extending beyond an end of said handle-shaft; apivot-supporting part in fixed No references cited.

